I am raising thoughtful kids. There are a few qualities that I really want my children to develop (strongly develop).  One that is very important, closely behind kindness, is that they are thoughtful.

I want thoughtful children. Kids who hold doors, have empathy, and think of others. Kids who don’t think twice about helping someone in need, expressing gratitude, and FEELING grateful.

Because these are the qualities that will make the world a better place. My world, their world, and the whole big world. I really mean it.

I feel that thoughtfulness is fading. The reason? Well, mostly because it takes time. It takes time to write thank you cards or make a meal for a friend. And time is something that seems to be getting squeezed for most.

There are so many thoughtful idea I have, intentions even, that just don’t see the light of day. Mostly because I do not make the time for them. But I am really working on that. I am working on slowing down, and following through on my good intentions.

I had been thinking of a simple way for my kids to regularly be thoughtful. To regularly take time to think of someone else. And who do they LOVE to think about? Grandma.

Grandma and Grandpa don’t live too close, and my kids miss them very much and talk about them all the time. I knew I wouldn’t have to twist any arms to get them to be thoughtful to Grandma!

For Grandma’s birthday this year we made these sweet thoughtful frames. The craft itself is super simple, and so is the idea behind them.

I got some dollar store wooden frames, removed the glass, and hot glued a clothes pin to the front.

Then my little ones carefully took their time and thoughtfully painted them for Grandma.

Next, I printed some pictures off of the computer, one of each of my little ones, to go inside their individual frame. I put this in the frame and then put the original glass back on the frame as well.

Finally, they drew a picture/wrote a message to Grandma to clip in the clothespin.

(This, by the way, is a picture of “Grandma and me almost hugging, because I don’t know how to draw people hugging”)

The idea is that we will think of Grandma and take time to make her something special each month, mail it to her, so she can clip her new thoughtful messages to her frame.

I hope to also send her a new picture of the kiddos each month too. This one will be a challenge for me, I am awful with printing pictures! But it would be thoughtful.

And there you have it! Thoughtful frames, made by thoughtful kids. Who will be growing more thoughtful each and every month. Simple, right?

Thank you for reading my thoughtful friends,

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